Messages from blood donors brighten days for young cancer patients

NoraBazinshuffles through a handful of cardswith messages written by strangers she will never meet.

"What do you call an alligator wearing a vest?" sheasks, reading one card.

"An investigator."

Her mother smiles and laughs.

Nora, 7,has T-celllymphoblasticlymphoma, an aggressive cancer that started in the lymph nodes in her neck and moved into her chest.

On Monday, she was at the Canadian Blood Services (CBS) Edmonton location to talk about her participation in the Beaded Journey campaign.

The messages on the cards were written by blood donors aspart of a partnership campaign organized by the CBS and theStolleryChildren's Hospital.

'Such a big difference for families like ours'

6 years ago

Duration 1:00

For the month of January, Canadian Blood Services donors in Edmonton can write a message for children and teens who receive blood.

"It's just amazing that people take time out of their day," Nora's mother,EmilyBazin, said of the messages. "It's not a big thing. But still, it's something that you have to go out of your way to do. And it makes such a big difference for families like ours."

Diagnosed in November 2017, Nora hashad numerous blood transfusions over the past 14 months. Lately, she has been given one everyweek.

"She particularly seems to be quite sensitive to the chemotherapy, and it tends to drop her blood counts fairly frequently," Emily Bazin said.

Her daughter is expected tocontinue to receive regular transfusions for another year.

To help keep track of all the procedures she has gone through, Nora has a string of beads that spans across her arms and chest twice over.

As part of its Beaded Journey program, the Stollery Children's Hospital gives the beads to children and teenagers with cancer to help them visualize what they've been through.

"Just to really see how much these kids go through on their journey to getting better is pretty amazing,"said AlisonNaylor, a child-life specialist at the hospital.

Blood donors have until the end of the month to write messages to children or teenagers who will receive blood donations as they dealwith cancer.

Travis.mcewan@cbc.ca

@Travismcewancbc